The bMighty Blog -- Linux

Firefox 3.0 Release Schedule Update

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 08:15 AM ET | May 13, 2008

In a previous post, I mentioned that we would probably see a Firefox 3.0 release candidate before the end of the month. Based on a senior Mozilla developer's recent remarks, that estimate looks to be right on track.

Read all of "Firefox 3.0 Release Schedule Update"

Comments(1)
Apple | Hardware & Software | Internet/Web | Linux | Open Source | Windows

Reliability Study Serves Up Good News For Linux Users

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 01:47 PM ET | May 8, 2008

A 2006 research study caused an uproar when it reported that Windows Server 2003 was more reliable than Linux. This year's results tell a somewhat different story -- at least in terms of which side wins the bragging rights.

Read all of "Reliability Study Serves Up Good News For Linux Users"

Comment on this blog entry
Linux

Keeping Up With The Linux Kernel

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 08:06 PM ET | Apr 17, 2008

Linux kernel development is a serious, and very complicated, process. You don't have to be a programmer, however, or even a Linux power user, to appreciate the end result -- especially when a new version of the Linux kernel hits the street.

Read all of "Keeping Up With The Linux Kernel"

Comment on this blog entry
Hardware & Software | IT | Linux | Open Source

PBX For Small Business: Asterisk Comes A-Callin'

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 08:51 PM ET | Apr 15, 2008

The market for open-source business software today is growing so quickly that it can be hard to single out the really exceptional success stories. If I had to pick just one, however, I think I know which one it would be.

Read all of "PBX For Small Business: Asterisk Comes A-Callin'"

Comments(2)
Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software | Linux | Networking & Communications | Open Source | Technology/Telecom

For Those Looking to Get Free of Vista, There's Help

Posted by Naomi Grossman 10:39 AM ET | Apr 15, 2008

Apparently, smaller businesses are quite passionate about Windows XP. But the reality is if you are in the market for a new machine, chances are you're going to get Vista -- whether you like it or not. Help, though, is just a few clicks away.

Read all of "For Those Looking to Get Free of Vista, There's Help"

Comments(2)
Hardware & Software | IT | Linux

Pointers For Picking The Right Linux Distro

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 08:55 PM ET | Apr 10, 2008

Everybody loves a good list -- especially bloggers and opinion columnists. Here's a pointer to a list that is likely to make your job a bit easier if you're shopping for the right Linux distro for your business needs.

Read all of "Pointers For Picking The Right Linux Distro"

Comment on this blog entry
Hardware & Software | Linux | Open Source

Linux Minus Linus: No Big Deal?

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 09:41 PM ET | Apr 8, 2008

There was a time when Linux could not have survived the departure of its creator, Linus Torvalds. Today, of course, the situation is very different -- or is it?

Read all of "Linux Minus Linus: No Big Deal?"

Comments(1)
Apple | Linux | Open Source

Old Hardware, New Tricks: Building A Linux File Server

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 05:56 PM ET | Apr 4, 2008

Want to bring some law and order to an unruly small-business IT setup? A Linux file server could be just the ticket -- and if you have an old, obsolete PC sitting around the office, you've got everything you need to get started.

Read all of "Old Hardware, New Tricks: Building A Linux File Server"

Comment on this blog entry
Hardware & Software | IT | Linux | Open Source

Death And Taxes On Linux: One Down, One To Go

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 08:21 AM ET | Apr 2, 2008

Of the two inevitabilities in life, Linux can't do much about death. Can it do anything to help you with your taxes?

Read all of "Death And Taxes On Linux: One Down, One To Go"

Comment on this blog entry
Business & E-Business | Finance/Accounting | Hardware & Software | Linux | Open Source

Another Good Reason To Quit Feeding Microsoft's Favorite Cash Cow

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 04:01 PM ET | Mar 28, 2008

If you put just one open-source software package to work in your small or medium-sized business, I can tell you exactly where to begin. And as much as I like Linux, I actually have something else in mind for you.

Read all of "Another Good Reason To Quit Feeding Microsoft's Favorite Cash Cow"

Comments(2)
Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software | Linux | Open Source

Hacker Contest: And The Loser Is... MacBook Air

Posted by Keith Ferrell 10:53 AM ET | Mar 28, 2008

The hacker contest at this year's CanSecWest Conference in Vancouver has produced a winner... er, a loser. The hack--ee? Pricey, trendy and oh so desirable MacBook Air.

Read all of "Hacker Contest: And The Loser Is... MacBook Air"

Comment on this blog entry
Apple | Hardware & Software | Linux | Security | Windows

Linux By The (Version) Numbers

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 05:03 PM ET | Mar 25, 2008

What's in a version number? More than you might think, if the number in question is attached to your favorite desktop Linux distro.

Read all of "Linux By The (Version) Numbers"

Comment on this blog entry
Hardware & Software | Linux | Open Source

Wine 1.0 On The Menu For Desktop Linux Users

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 05:58 PM ET | Mar 20, 2008

It looks like Wine's time has finally come: Version 1.0 of the Windows emulation software is now slated for a June release. And Linux users almost certainly have Google -- or, at least, Google's money -- to thank for moving things along.

Read all of "Wine 1.0 On The Menu For Desktop Linux Users"

Comments(3)
Hardware & Software | Linux | Open Source | Windows

Hacker Contest Next Week: The Real March Madness

Posted by Keith Ferrell 11:37 AM ET | Mar 20, 2008

It's fierce comeptition time again, and not just for basketball fans. At next week's CanSecWest conference in Vancouver, the second annual hacker contest offers big bucks to the first person to hack a supposedly secure laptop.

Read all of "Hacker Contest Next Week: The Real March Madness"

Comment on this blog entry
Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software | Linux | Networking & Communications | Security | Windows

Ubuntu Eyes The Linux Server Landscape

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 06:45 PM ET | Mar 18, 2008

It took Ubuntu just four years to claim its crown as king of the Linux desktop. Now, Ubuntu's developers are plotting a similar coup in the Linux server market -- and smaller businesses have a lot to gain from the battle that is about to unfold.

Read all of "Ubuntu Eyes The Linux Server Landscape"

Comment on this blog entry
Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software | IT | Linux | Management | Open Source | Operations

The Open-Source Database Gets Its Due

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 04:51 AM ET | Mar 14, 2008

Are proprietary databases doomed? The short answer, according to one noted database engineering expert, is no. The long answer is that open-source competition is about to take the world's proprietary database vendors -- and their customers -- on a wild, and very interesting, ride.

Read all of "The Open-Source Database Gets Its Due"

Comments(1)
Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software | IT | Linux | Open Source

Fight The FUD: Lies, Damned Lies, And Linux

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 08:50 PM ET | Mar 12, 2008

When it comes to IT security, Linux generally scores outstanding marks. There is, however, one notable exception to this rule: A threat that Linux, and many other open-source apps, just can't seem to shake.

Read all of "Fight The FUD: Lies, Damned Lies, And Linux"

Comments(3)
Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software | IT | Linux | Management | Open Source | Security | Windows

Ballmer's Remarks Inspire A TCO Trip Down Memory Lane

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 06:50 AM ET | Mar 7, 2008

Earlier this week, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had a few things to say about the never-ending Windows vs. Linux total cost of ownership debate. It's an interesting interview -- but not quite as interesting as some internal Microsoft email on the same subject that turned up last year, as a result of the company's involvement in yet another antitrust lawsuit.

Read all of "Ballmer's Remarks Inspire A TCO Trip Down Memory Lane"

Comment on this blog entry
Business & E-Business | Government | Hardware & Software | Linux | Open Source | Windows

Open Source Without Tears

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 02:45 AM ET | Mar 6, 2008

Open-source software can save a small business loads of time, money and trouble. That's a good thing, because the process of finding the right open-source app to meet your business needs can be a royal pain in the butt -- unless, that is, you know where to begin your open-source software hunt.

Read all of "Open Source Without Tears"

Comments(1)
Hardware & Software | Internet/Web | Linux | Open Source

Codeweavers, Google Brew Some Fine Wine For Desktop Linux Users

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 12:20 AM ET | Mar 4, 2008

Over the past few years, Linux-based desktop virtualization has improved by leaps and bounds. In some cases, however, it is already possible to run Windows software on Linux, while cutting Windows itself completely out of the picture -- and thanks to Google, some very high-profile Windows software is now bridging the Linux gap.

Read all of "Codeweavers, Google Brew Some Fine Wine For Desktop Linux Users"

Comment on this blog entry
Hardware & Software | IT | Linux | Open Source | Professional/Creative Services | Windows

Fight The Power: Greening Your Linux Systems

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 08:32 AM ET | Feb 29, 2008

Linux has a lot of advantages as a desktop operating system. Power management, unfortunately, still is not one of them. But there are plenty of ways to make a Linux system less power-hungry -- and some of the most effective fixes are also some of the easiest.

Read all of "Fight The Power: Greening Your Linux Systems"

Comment on this blog entry
Green Business | Hardware & Software | Linux | Mobile | Open Source

Microsoft's New Mantra: Peace, Love, And Open Source?

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 04:16 PM ET | Feb 21, 2008

People who work with open-source software tend to study Microsoft the way Kremlinologists once studied the Soviet Union: from the outside, and often at a considerable distance. It's a process that requires years of experience, a keen eye for detail -- and above all, a talent for reading between the lines.

Read all of "Microsoft's New Mantra: Peace, Love, And Open Source?"

Comment on this blog entry
IT | Linux | Open Source | Windows

Open Source For Fun And (Mostly) Profit

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 06:11 PM ET | Feb 19, 2008

What does open-source software mean to you? I see Open Source as a way to beef up your company's bottom line and to beat your competitors -- if it is used effectively.

Read all of "Open Source For Fun And (Mostly) Profit"

Comments(1)
Linux | Open Source

Open-Source Security: Trust, But Verify

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 07:22 PM ET | Feb 13, 2008

Is open-source software more secure than proprietary software? There may be just one company on the planet that can answer that question, and they aren't talking. What they can tell us, however, may be just as interesting -- and perhaps even more disturbing.

Read all of "Open-Source Security: Trust, But Verify"

Comments(2)
Hardware & Software | Linux | Open Source | Security

Open Source Apps Can Pave the Way

Posted by Naomi Grossman 12:12 PM ET | Nov 2, 2007

Open source as your operating system may be too scary a prospect but are you at least taking advantage of open source applications? You should.

Read all of "Open Source Apps Can Pave the Way "

Comment on this blog entry
Hardware & Software | IT | Linux | Open Source